Four Doors Down(54)

He raises his eyebrows, looking very pleased with himself. “Jay invited me over. I just got off the phone with your mom. I’ll be there by seven.”

My jaw drops open. How dare my mother do this! She knows how I feel about Ryan. All my good resolve about Jay immediately goes out the window. I don’t care how much Jay wanted Ryan there, I’m her child.

Ryan crosses his arms, still with that damn smirk on his face, knowing he’s pissed me off.

I narrow my eyes. “Fine. Have fun with my middle aged parents and five-year-old cousin. I’ll be out with my perfect boyfriend.” His grin falters slightly and I smile back at him sweetly. I glance around at everyone watching us silently and force an even bigger smile on my face. “Bye, everyone,” I say waving.

They look between Ryan and me like they’re not sure what’s going to happen next. This is so embarrassing. This had better not get around school too. Katie looks like she regrets stopping me.

I spin on my heel and walk quickly away, ignoring Jake’s shouts for me to hold up. I get in my car and put as much distance between them and me as I can. I have had enough. I am ignoring that entire crowd from now on, rude or not. They’re up to something and I have had enough of Ryan Jackson to last me a lifetime. I reach for my phone and call Charlie.

I have some plans to make for the night.





“Sam!” I call down the hallway, spotting Sam and hurrying to catch up to her. “I need your notes for English,” I say as I reach her.

She furrows her eyebrows at me questioningly.

“I’m failing. I need to get my grades up. Henderson spoke to my mom and she’s flipped.”

“But you usually ace English.”

“I know. I’ve been ditching a bit though and not getting homework in. I have to pull up Science too by the end of the semester. My parents are pissed.”

Pissed is actually a complete understatement. I got back from Charlie’s last night to my mom and dad sitting at the kitchen table waiting for me. I tried to breeze past them and go straight to bed, but they made me sit and told me in no uncertain terms that if I didn’t get my grades up in both Science and English, they would ground me for the rest of senior year. No car, no phone, no Charlie, and no life. Apparently Henderson had called to tell them about my falling grade in English and he’d even gone to the school office to pull out my attendance records and had reported to my parents how many classes I’d been skipping.

My dad was furious and wouldn’t listen to a word I said about senior year being a waste of time on the road to college since I’d already done the hard work with my SAT’s. My mom blamed herself for being so wrapped up with Jay and Aunt Ruth and neglecting me. This suited me, thinking it might get me off the hook, but my dad dismissed that completely and said I had to take responsibility for my actions and has given me a month to get my grades up…or else. That’s what he actually said. Or else. I dread to think what that means. I can’t get around him like I can my mom.

Sam nods at me in understanding. “I’ll bring them all in tomorrow.”

We keep on walking down the hallway, stopping at her locker. Erica comes rushing over. “Where were you at lunch?” she demands in greeting.

“Library,” I reply. She looks a little perplexed at this but not enough for her to stray from her theme.

“Katie Thompson came and sat with us at lunch!” she exclaims excitedly. I nearly laugh out loud. Erica needs to get over this whole popular thing.

“She did,” Sam agrees smiling. “She was dining with the common people.” I do start laughing at this.

Erica scowls at us, annoyed that we don’t agree with the importance of Katie gracing her with her presence. “She told us about that party she’s having and invited us!” Erica practically shouts. Of course she did. Sneaky.

“Before you say it, I’m not going.”

“Come on, Becca, you have to go,” she says, tugging on my arm like a child.

“No.”

“But we can’t go if you don’t.”

“Yeah, you can. Katie’s nice, she won’t care.”

Erica glances over at Sam in despair who just shrugs. “She wants us to talk you into going. I kinda think we’re invited only if you show up,” Sam explains. I shake my head in annoyance. “Oh and Ryan also mentioned Jake’s party to us. He came over too. I think he’s invited most of our grade. Lunch was pretty eventful,” she says smiling as Erica positively beams.

“You should have seen everyone’s faces!” she tells me animatedly. “Katie and Ryan both came over at the same time. I thought Paige and Amy were gonna have heart attacks. Ryan is so hot.”

I start to laugh. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Please, Becca,” Erica begs. “I cannot miss Katie’s party or Jake’s. I really need to go and I really want to see Mason.”

“Mason?” I ask in surprise. “I thought you were into Matthew Smithy?”

“Well, yeah, but Mason is like top five percent popular in this school.”

I grin. “You really are a social climbing whore bag, you know that?”

She smirks back. “I know.”

“Well, if you want to go popular, you might as well just go all out and go for Ryan.”